Austin, 30 October – Kimi Raikkonen met the media at the Circuit of Americas this morning as usual on Thursdays and said he was looking forward to the next few days. “Hopefully we can have a nice clean weekend, starting with getting everything sorted in practice and then be as strong as possible,” said the Ferrari man. Looking much further ahead, the Finn was asked what he expected from next year’s car. “I have a hundred percent trust in the people who run the team and build the cars,” he began. “I am sure we can have a good package: will it be good enough? Only time will tell. We have a lot of work to do and we have learned a lot from this year. We don’t expect to suddenly jump to the front and be winning the races, but we can make a big leap and be up there fighting. Until we put it on track and do those first laps at the first test we won’t know. We know where the issues are and our people are smart enough to fix them. According to the rules, there are limits to what we can do but we will improve.”

There is no hiding the fact this has been a tough year for Raikkonen, but it has not dented his confidence. “For sure I made a hundred percent the right decision to return to Ferrari,” he maintained. “The results have not been the ones I wanted or the team wanted, but that’s how it goes. We have made progress from where we started, but it’s not easy to get things exactly as you want. But I am happy to be here. I’d rather be with Ferrari than with any other team. So I’m sure I made the right decision coming here.” Asked to elaborate on the problems he has encountered in 2014, Kimi did not want to go into too many details: “I’ve been suffering with lots of small things, but the front end has not been as good as I wanted and that’s not easy to fix. It’s better, but it’s taken a bit too long.”

The final question concerned the Finn’s views on the double points on offer at the final round and, as usual, Kimi’s view was very straightforward. “That’s how the rules are now and if we like it or not, it makes no difference as we drivers do not decide the rules,” concluded the Finn. “Obviously, whoever has the most points at the end of the year, whether he has won ten races or one race wil won and I’m sure whoever it is will deserve it.”

Kimi Raikkonen has rubbished suggestions that Ferrari is behind with its 2015 Formula 1 car.

Reports emerged last week claiming that initial windtunnel data from Ferrari had indicated next year's car was not producing as much downforce as the 2014 F14T.

But speaking ahead of the United States Grand Prix, Raikkonen said that he had not heard any negative messages from inside the team and he was full of confidence about what would be delivered next year.

"There are a lot of rumours in F1 but I have 100 per cent trust in the team, in the people who build the cars, and all the mechanics," said Raikkonen about the rumours.

"People are always speaking, but the problem is they are not the people designing the car or in the windtunnel.

"I am sure we can have a good package. Is it good enough? Time will tell. But we have a lot of work to do.

"We learned a lot from this year and we don't expect to lead the championship from the front and be winning all the races. But I am sure we will make a big leap and be up there fighting and improving things."

"We know where the issues are, and I know the people can make good decisions and fix the issues.

"There are some limits of what we can do and cannot do, and obviously that limits us a little bit but for sure we will improve."

Although Raikkonen has had a disappointing campaign for Ferrari, he insisted he has no regrets about joining the Maranello outfit.

"For sure I made 100 per cent the right decision," he said. "Obviously the results have not been what I want or what the team wants, but that is how it goes.

"We have improved from where we started. There have been some better moments but it is not easy to fix some issues and get things exactly as you want.

"You end up with a small thing here and a small thing there, and the end result is that you end up having a big price for it.

"But I am happy to be here. For anything after first place, I would rather be in a Ferrari than any other team."

ALONSO REMAINS CRYPTIC

Raikkonen's current team-mate Fernando Alonso remained evasive over his 2015 plans when quizzed by reporters on Thursday.

"I cannot say categorically anything now," said Alonso, who is set to leave Ferrari and be replaced by Sebastian Vettel, with McLaren-Honda his most likely destination.

"There is a very ambitious plan in my head for my future. I think it's the best thing for Ferrari as well.

"People will be very, very excited. I'm extremely happy. All the things in the last two or three months follow exactly the plan that I have.

"Let's wait and you will know much more. You want to know the taste before cooking the plate."

quoteFor Kimi Raikkonen the journey to America began slightly perplexed in front of a machine: The immigration authorities in Chicago have replaced most of the counters by automats and so after his flight from Zurich to the "windy city" the Finn was at first standing in front of a large display, with a face like a question mark.

Kimi, what do you expect from the coming weekend? I'm hoping for a trouble-free practice, in which we can work calmly on the setup. Then we should also be strong in the race.

It is said that Fernando Alonso might put in a year's break. You have even two years not driven in formula 1. Was it hard to get back on speed? Not for me. Sure you need some time to activate all the automations again. We also had small problems, also for me it was a new team. But I do not think my break time has hurt.

Sebastian Vettel and you are friends. What would change if he would be at Ferrari? It is true that of all the drivers I know Seb best and we also do something together when F1 is not a topic. But what it would change that is pure speculation so far. When we know more, we maybe can talk again about this topic. Otherwise I will only be drawn into this speculations and I don’t want that.

It's about to go against a friend. Yes, but that is happening now already regardless in what car he sits. And for me it makes no difference whether one is my friend or whether he is a driver, which I might have had difficulties. An opponent is an opponent.

What exactly doesn’t fit in this car? There are many small things, some of them at the front. Some things can’t be fixed on this car, I have to wait for 2015. But I don’t want to go too much into detail, what exactly the backgrounds are.